Disney plans to build a resort on the
western
side of Oahu.
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts has announced plans to develop
21 acres of oceanfront property on Hawaii’s island of Oahu. The
property, located on the island’s western side in the Ko Olina
Resort & Marina, will be home to Disney’s first mixed-use
family resort outside of its theme-park developments. The expansive
resort, scheduled to open in 2011, will have more than 800 units
including hotel rooms and villas for Disney Vacation Club, the
company’s growing timeshare business.
“This resort hotel will give our guests another way to visit an
exciting part of the world with a brand they trust,” said Jay
Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. “In fact,
Hawaii has been among our most requested Disney Vacation Club
getaway locations beyond our theme parks. We are looking forward to
building a special family resort that honors the cultural diversity
of Hawaii and reflects the spirit of aloha that makes this location
so unique.”
“Disney and Hawaii have something special in common, and that is
the recognition of the importance of ‘ohana,’” said Hawaii Governor
Linda Lingle. “We are pleased that a company known for providing
families with a way to spend quality time together is investing in
Hawaii. This is a wonderful opportunity for our residents who will
develop careers at the new resort as well as people from around the
world, who will visit our state to stay at this exciting new
destination.”
The new resort hotel will be the latest addition to the Ko Olina
development, known for its sweeping ocean views, white-sand beaches
and blue lagoons. Designs for the resort are still being finalized
by Walt Disney Imagineers, who have been traveling extensively
throughout Hawaii for the past several months gathering ideas. The
team is working closely with local architects, engineers and
cultural advisors. Plans for the resort hotel will be revealed in
early 2008.
Another Million Dreams
Due to popular demand, Disney Parks will extend The Year of a
Million Dreams celebration at Disneyland Resort in California and
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, through Dec. 31, 2008. A new
2008 Disney Dreams Giveaway that starts on Jan. 1 features more
than one million dreams some never before seen to be awarded
through a random process to eligible guests in both resorts and
mail-in participants in 2008.
New dreams added as part of the 2008 Disney Dreams Giveaway
include a private visit to Disney’s Bahamian paradise, Castaway
Cay, for a day; overnight stays at inside Disneyland in the new
Walt Disney Dream Suite being constructed in New Orleans Square and
a backstage visit to Walt Disney Imagineering.
Guests at the Disney Parks can enjoy recently added attractions
as well as expanded hotel accommodations. Disney’s Grand
Californian Hotel and Spa at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim,
Calif. will be expanded to increase accommodations by thirty
percent and also include the first Disney Vacation Club villas in
Anaheim.
The 2008 Dream Catalog is available online.
www.2008disneydreamcatalog.com
NEW CHARITY FOR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRYA new charity connected to the hospitality industry was
announced in September at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual
Meeting in New York City. The new nonprofit, called The Good Night
Foundation, is partnering with the Small Luxury Hotels of the World
to raise funds to support local and worldwide programs focused on
health, education, environment and poverty alleviation.
The Good Night Foundation is the brainchild of Mike Freed,
co-founder and managing partner of Passport Resorts LLC and creator
of Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, Calif., and Jack Theimer, president
of The Theimer Group, chief executive officer of HPJ Media
Ventures. Both founders believe that the hospitality environment
offers a unique nexus for travelers to assist in the betterment of
the destinations they visit and enjoy, as well as the global
environment and community at large.
The foundation will ask hotel guests for a four-dollar
charitable donation, to be added to each night’s hotel bill. Three
dollars will be used for global programs focusing on health,
education, environment and alleviating poverty. The fourth dollar
will be donated to a local charity selected by the participating
hotel, ensuring that the nearby community benefits from guests’
donations.
www.goodnightfoundation.org
SUPERFERRY DOWN
The Hawaii Superferry has ceased operations pending ongoing
litigation. A court order halted the ferry’s Oahu-Maui service on
Aug. 28, but the company had hoped to continue with its Oahu-Kauai
route. Despite a favorable court ruling and support from Hawaii’s
governor, public protests have continued.
In a statement, officials from Hawaii Superferry noted that “a
temporary delay serves the community best.”
www.hawaiisuperferry.com
